Contents

Synopsis

Ruby meets Prof. Birch's "wild" daughter, Sapphire, who attacks Ruby for his rudeness. Ruby, despite his hesitation, sends Mudkip, one of Birch's Pokémon he kept. However, their battle is interrupted by Seviper. After Sapphire manages to defeat Seviper, she brings an interesting proposal to Ruby - a bet.

Chapter Plot

The wild girl's Torchic attacks Ruby'sPoochyena, burning her fur, to Ruby's horror. From the PokéGear, Professor Birch, feeling responsible for getting Ruby into this mess, tells Ruby to open his bag, revealing a Mudkip and Treecko in his bag to fight the fire-type Pokémon. Ruby is reluctant, as Mudkip may not compete in beauty nor coolness segment, but agrees sends it. Ruby pushes Mudkip away to dodge Ember. The girl orders him to fight her, so Mudkip uses Water Gun. As Ruby and the girl fight, Professor Birch recognizes her voice as that of his daughter, Sapphire. Ruby is relieved to end the battle and tells the girl, Sapphire, these are her father's stuff.

However, Sapphire resumes her battle stance, saying it doesn't matter if he's a friend of her father's: they're about to be attacked. A Seviper appears, and when Sapphire attacks it and asks Ruby for his help, he refuses on the grounds that battling will give his Pokémon ugly muscles, and he wants his Pokémon to compete in contests. Sapphire ridicules him, so has her Torchic use Ember on Seviper. Sapphire handily defeats Seviper. She is scornful to Ruby, saying that contests are shallow and based only on appearances. She hates beautifying Pokémon with unnecessary things, and what is from nature should remain natural. The two begin to insult each other.

Sapphire challenges Ruby to a bet: in 80 days they both will return here, Sapphire with all the badges of Hoenn and Ruby with all the contest ribbons. Ruby hesitates, but Sapphire promises she will respect him and Contests if he succeeds. Ruby accepts, but right after this, Sapphire passes out from wounds sustained when she was rescuing Ruby from the Mightyena and falling off a cliff. Ruby, feeling responsible, gives her first aid.

As he is leaving, the Seviper rises, intending on ambushing him. However, Ruby whirls around, and moments later the Seviper is again unconscious. Ruby comments that the ability to battle and the willingness to are two very different things and leaves.